William e



(No Model.)

W. R. FOWLER.

SPRING MOTOR.

188:7. Fig.3-

Patented Mar. 8,

Fig.1.

ATTORNEY.

Phmohthcgraphen Wnhinylnn. n, a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. FOVLER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGFOR TO MATTHAI, INGRAM &(30., OF SAME PLACE.

SPRING-MOTOR.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,068, dated March 8,1887.

Application filed October 28, i886. Serial No. 217,423. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM R. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors for Driving Small Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spring-motors for driving smallmachines or [O for any purpose where alight power is required.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section of the motorcasing and a side view of theworking parts. I5 Fig. 2 is a view of the hollow spring-driven shaft andratchet-wheel firmly secured to it. Fig. 3 is a view of the drive-shaftand the pinion secured to it. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan or bottom viewof the casing and working parts. '20 Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view ofthe working parts, taken on the horizontal line 5 5, and shows thehollow shaft, drive-shaft, ratchet, gearing, and coiled spring. Fig. 6is a view of the winder.

The casing A is a single piece of metal, preferably a casting, made witha broad base, I), open at the bottom to receive the working parts, andhaving at the top a small opening,

c, which serves as a bearing for the vertical- 5o hollow shaft B. Thecasing may have any desired shape or configuration. Its function is toinclose and serve as a base for supporting the working parts of themotor.

A vertical hollow shaft, B, is central] y mounted within the casing andprojects up through the top bearing, 0. Near the lower end the hollowshaft has a shoulder, d, and the extremity d of the said shaft belowthis shoulder fits in a cross-bar bearing, 0, which is 0 screwed to thecase. This hollow shaft revolves. The coiled spring 6 drives themechanisnnand is wound on the hollow shaft B. The inner end of the coilis secured to this shaft,'and the outer end, 6', is secured in somesuitable way to the case. In the presentinstanee it is fixed to astud-pin, f. The coiled spring occupies the top part of the case. Thehollow shaft also has a ratchet-wheel, g, fixed to it at a point belowthe coiled spring.

A driving-shaft, D,oc cupies the hollow shaft B and projects upwardthrough it and turns independently of it. The driving-shaft may have atany point abovethe hollow shaft-say at x-a pulley, gear-wheel, or anyother suitable device to which it is desired to impart motion. All thegearing mechanism which connects the spring-driven hollow shaft B withthe drivingshaft D is so arranged and constructed as to be wholly belowthe coiled spring.

Thedriving-shaftDisprovidednearitslower end with a pinion, h, and thelower end is stepped in a bearing, D, attached to the crossbar 0.

Gearing mechanism connects the ratchetwheel 9 on the hollow shaft withthe pinion h on the driving-shaft. As here shown, this mechanismcomprises a large gear-wheel, i, on the hollow shaft, close to theratchet-wheel g, and turning one way loosely. This gear-wheel carries apawl, 7c, which is kept in engagement with the ratchet-wheel by means ofa spring,Z. The large wheel i gears with a pinion or lantern wheel, m,whose shaft carries a wheel, m, which gears with a pinion, a, on a shaftwhich carries a gear-wheel, a, which latter engages with the said pinionh on the driving-shaft D. The pawl and ratchet permits the hollow shaftto be turned one way, as indicated by the darts, to wind up the coiledspring. The winding is effected without a special or separate key. Inlieu of akey,a winder or hand-grip device, 0, is rigidly secured to thehollow shaft above the case A. This winder or hand-grip is seen in Figs.1 and 6. It consists of a hub with ahole,

p, to fit the hollow shaft, and a screw, q, in the side of the hub toimpinge against said shaft and make it fast thereto. In the presentinstance the handgrip part is in the shape of two arms,

0, which project from the hub, one at an opposite side from the other.By grasping these arms the hollow shaft may be turned and the coiledspring wound. It is obvious the handgrip part of the winder may have anyother suitable or convenient shape.

The working parts of this motor are compact, easy of access at thebottom without hinderance from the spring, may be wound up by turningthe hollow shaft B,a separate windingkey being unnecessary, and in thematter of cost is cheap of production. It may be used 0c for a varietyof purposes,sueh as driving a flyfan, the flexible shaft used bydentists for effecting operations on the teeth, and for imparting motionto a rotary show-stand or displayrack.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLettersPatent of the United States- In aspring-motor, the combination of thecasing A, a vertical hollow shaft, B, projecting up through the top ofthe casing, a coiled spring, 6, wound on the said hollow shaft andoccupying the top part of the case, a ratchet

